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The average refund so far is $350 more than last year at this time, despite projections that it would be closer to $1,000 due to Republican-led tax changes as part of the Big Beautiful Bill Act.by the Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington think tank advising on federal policy, found 62% of respondents either thought the tax changes harmed them or made no difference.
Even among Republicans, only 35% said the changes favored them.. The White House projected the average refund"to rise by $1,000 or more this year." But that extra refund bump has fallen short of that projection.On a recent weekend, Dan and Glynna Courter were enjoying the sun with friends over a picnic of blueberries and Cheez-Its at Birmingham's Railroad Park. When the topic moved to how they're feeling about their tax refunds, nearly everyone at the gathering responded with a chorus of lukewarm just fines. The lack of enthusiasm was surprising considering everyone on the picnic blanket received sizable refunds, including about $10,000 for the Courters combined. But Glynna thinks their refund wasn't that much different from last year. The couple withhold the maximum taxes from their paychecks, which helps them avoid the risk of owing taxes and leads to a bigger refund.This is not the vibe Republican lawmakers were planning for this tax season. The White House had already declared this the"But that extra refund bump has fallen short of that projection. So far, the average refund has totaled about $350 more than last year. By early April, the average tax refund sat atby the Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington think tank advising on federal policy, found 62% of respondents either thought the tax changes harmed them or made no difference. Even among Republicans, only 35% said the changes favored them. "There's a bit of a disappointment in how much those refunds are," said Tom O'Saben, the director of tax content and government relations at the National Association of Tax Professionals."People are quietly, perhaps, happy but not to the extent where I would call it significant."One possible explanation for the lower refunds is that the benefits from the tax law changes could be showing up more for Americans who don't receive refunds, buttaxes. The IRS data on tax refunds this season does not factor in how much less Americans owed compared to last year. "The evidence is stronger that more tax relief is relatively flowing to those who otherwise would owe when they file," said Don Schneider, deputy head of U.S. policy at the investment bank Piper Sandler."Getting it in a refund is probably more impactful, more easy to understand than having a reduction in what you otherwise would owe," Schneider said.Wealthier filers so far seem to have received larger benefits from the tax changes. "Higher income taxpayers are much more likely than lower income taxpayers to report significantly higher refunds this year," said Andrew Lautz, director of tax policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center. That's due in part to the increase in the SALT, or state and local tax, deduction cap raised by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Filers can now deduct up to $40,000 for property, sales and income taxes paid to state and local governments. The deduction primarily goes to wealthier Americans who own homes with big mortgage payments. Since they traditionally are more likely to procrastinate sending in their returns, that could cause this year's average tax refund to grow later on, but likely still fall short of the additional $1,000 mark, Lautz said."It is unlikely that we will see that kind of boost by the end of this."Part of the tepid response to refunds could be related to the extra cash Americans are spending at the pump. The war with Iran has brought the average price for a gallon of regular in the U.S. well above $4. Data from theshows consumers have continued spending on gas, and depending on how long gas prices stay elevated, all of the benefits Americans received from the 2025 tax and spending bill could go "The tax refund season might be very good, but it's also being offset by this price in gasoline," said Michael Pearce, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics. Bob Jones, a retiree in Birmingham, is satisfied with his refund. He benefited from an extra deduction of $6,000 for a lot of seniors 65 and up. But the war with Iran has him worried about what that means for the price of gas, so he's put it all in savings.The U.S. military said it had"completely halted" all commercial trade moving in and out of Iran's ports, less than 36 hours after imposing a naval blockade.The announcement comes after President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. Navy to enforce a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz following U.S.-Iran peace talks in Islamabad over the weekend that ended without any agreement.suggested the war is nearing an end without offering a clear timeline. The latest developments came as the International Monetary Fund warned Tuesday that the global economy could be heading toward a recession triggered by the war.The U.S. military said it had"completely halted" all commercial trade moving in and out of Iran's ports, less than 36 hours after imposing a naval blockade. The announcement comes after President Trump ordered the U.S. Navy to enforce a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz following U.S.-Iran peace talks in Islamabad over the weekend that ended without any agreement.The latest developments came as the International Monetary Fund warned Tuesday that the global economy could be heading toward a recession triggered by the war. A girl plays with a bubble blower at an unofficial camp for displaced people in Beirut's waterfront area on Tuesday. A top U.S. military commander said U.S. forces have imposed a blockade of Iranian ports and have established"maritime superiority" in the Middle East. "In less than 36 hours since the blockade was implemented, U.S. forces have completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea," Adm. Bradley Cooper, the commander of U.S. Central Command, which oversees Middle East operations, said in aearly Wednesday local time. He suggested the U.S. blockade brought to a halt Iran's economy, which relies on international trade by sea. The U.S. blockade of Iranian ports entered into force on Monday following face-to-face negotiations between U.S. and Iranian officials in Islamabad to end the war. According to Trump, the meeting failed to achieve a breakthrough over Iran's insistence to continue its nuclear program. A ship is seen off the coast of Ras al-Khaimah, the day after the failure of US-Iran peace talks on Monday.The blockade is seen as a tactic to pressure Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, where nearly 20% of the global supply of oil and gas normally moves. It's also a key passageway for other goods such as fertilizer, aluminum and helium. Iran closed the waterway in retaliation to U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28. It has let a small fraction of ships through from countries it considers friendly or neutral in the conflict. An Iranian lawmakerstate media recently that Iran collects $2 million fees from some vessels passing through the strait. Trump called the move"extortion."10,000 U.S. service members, more than 100 aircraft and over 12 warships were enforcing the blockade of vessels entering and leaving Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman., the Rich Starry, a combined chemical and oil tanker, transited the Strait of Hormuz early Tuesday morning local time and then made a U-turn in the Gulf of Oman. The U.S. military said six merchant vessels"complied with direction from U.S. forces to turn around."on Tuesday, Trump said additional peace talks between the U.S. and Iran"could be happening over the next two days" in Islamabad."You should stay there, really, because something could be happening over the next two days, and we're more inclined to go there," Trump said, referring to Islamabad. He went on to praise Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, for doing a"great job" in mediating the talks.Pakistan, which holds strong diplomatic relations with both the U.S. and Iran, has emerged as a key mediator in negotiations between the two countries. Vice President Vance, Washington's lead negotiator, said a major sticking point that led to the breakdown in Saturday's talks was Iran's refusal to commit to abandoning its nuclear ambitions. "The simple fact is that we need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon, and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon," Vance said.However, he left open the possibility an agreement could still be reached, saying:"We leave here with a very simple proposal: a method of understanding that is our final and best offer," adding,"We'll see if the Iranians accept it." Iran said the two sides had"reached an understanding on a number of issues, but ultimately the talks did not lead to an agreement." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, a member of the Iranian negotiating team, accused the U.S. delegation of"maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade." Iran, under its 10-point negotiation plan, demanded an end to Israel's attacks against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah as part of any permanent agreement. Other demands from the Iranian delegation included the release of $6 billion in frozen assets, guarantees around its nuclear program and the right to charge ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.that the war with Iran could trigger a global recession that would hit the U.K. more than any other G7 country. In its biannual update, the IMF cut its estimate for U.K. growth this year to 0.8%, down from the 1.3% prediction made in January.Britain's finance minister, Rachel Reeves, issued a sharp critique of the U.S.-Iran war on Tuesday, which she called a"folly" with no clear exit plan. "I feel very frustrated and angry that the U.S. went into this war without a clear exit plan, without a clear idea of what they're trying to achieve," ReevesA man fixes the United Arab Emirates' national flag to the roof of his house in Dubai on Tuesday, after a call by the Emirati leaders urging people across the country to hoist the flag as a symbol of unity and pride.that U.S. ally countries were going to suffer a"small bit of economic pain," but said it would be worth it to eliminate the threat of Iranian nuclear strikes on Western capitals. "I wonder what the hit to global GDP would be if a nuclear weapon hit London…I am saying that I am less concerned about short-term forecasts, for long-term security," he said. Across Europe and beyond, governments have begun implementing emergency fuel tax cuts in response to surging prices. In Ireland, the government announced more than $589 million in tax cuts on motor fuel over the weekend following a week of protests over high fuel prices, which brought many parts of the country to a standstill. In Germany, lawmakers unveiled a $1.9 billion fuel price relief plan to help people with the rising costs. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday said he was suspending the country's federal gas tax until early September.Hezbollah and Israel continued to exchange fire on Wednesday, a day after Israel and Lebanon met for direct talks in Washington, the first in more than 30 years, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Hezbollah said it targeted Israeli troops several times with rockets, artillery strikes and drones and it fired at communities in Israel's north. Israel expanded its military occupation of southern Lebanon, where it said its forces engaged in fierce battle with Hezbollah fighters. A relative of Hassan Ali Badawi, a paramedic with the Lebanese Red Cross who was killed the previous day in an Israeli airstrike, mourns as the family receives condolences at their home in the Bchamoun area south of Beirut, on Monday.The talks came after nearly seven weeks of fighting between the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah and Israel in Lebanon. Hezbollah, which is also a major political party that holds seats in the Lebanese parliament, does not support the talks and has called on the Lebanese government to cancel them. More than 2,100 people have been killed by Israeli strikes, according to Lebanese health officials. Hezbollah has also fired at Israel, killing at least 12 soldiers and two civilians, according to Israeli authorities. Lebanese officials said Israel has demolished more than 40,000 homes in the south, seizing land for what Israel calls a"buffer zone" to keep Hezbollah from firing rockets into northern Israel. The Lebanese government wants a ceasefire, but Israel said it would not agree to it until Hezbollah disarms, a longstanding Israeli demand, which the Lebanese government has been unable to enforce in the past. Following the talks on Tuesday, Rubio said the talks were about"bringing a permanent end to 20 or 30 years of Hezbollah's influence in this part of the world." Daniel Estrin in Tel Aviv, Kat Lonsdorf in Beirut, Aya Batrawy in Dubai, Fatima Al-Kassab in London and Rebecca Rosman in Paris contributed to this report.Dino’s Famous Chicken signature dish, served with a tangy sauce and on top of a bed of fries, a side of coleslaw, and tortillas.At Dino’s Famous Chicken in Pico Union’s Byzantine-Latino Quarter, the restaurant’s story is told through its signature dish — a reminder of a once predominantly Greek neighborhood that has adapted over time to its largely Latino immigrant community.In 1980, encouraged by his wife Eleni, owner Demetrios Pantazis, an immigrant from Patras, Greece, developed a chicken marinade that combined elements of Mediterranean cooking with the bold, spicy flavors common in Latin cuisine, mirroring the surrounding neighborhood.If you stop by the restaurant around noon or after 6 p.m., you’ll likely see a line of people eagerly waiting for their meal. The restaurant, which opened as a burger stand in 1968, continues to be operated as a family-run chain.For many Pico Union neighbors who keep going to Dino’s Famous Chicken, the marinated chicken is definitely the star of the menu. Jenaro Aviles, 24, has been going to the restaurant with his grandfather and mom since he was a child and sees it as a neighborhood gem. “What isn’t there to love about Dino’s?” Aviles said. “It’s family-oriented, it’s a monument to L.A. If you come to L.A., it’s a must.” At Dino’s Famous Chicken in Pico Union’s Byzantine-Latino Quarter, the restaurant’s story is told through its signature dish — a reminder of a once predominantly Greek neighborhood that has adapted over time to its largely Latino immigrant community. In 1980, encouraged by his wife Eleni, owner Demetrios Pantazis, an immigrant from Patras, Greece, developed a chicken marinade that combined elements of Mediterranean cooking with the bold, spicy flavors common in Latin cuisine, mirroring the surrounding neighborhood. “The chicken arrives with this unmistakable orange-red color — the marinade does that. It’s the first thing you notice, and it tells you before you even take a bite that something specific happened here,” said Gab Chabrán, Food and Culture writer at LAist. The chicken is served over a bed of fries with corn tortillas ready for makeshift tacos. The dish is as Chabrán notes, “undoubtedly Los Angeles,” and helped turn Dino’s into a success in the area. Dino’s Famous Chicken founder Demetrios Pantazis developed a chicken marinade that blended elements of Greek cooking with the bold, spicy flavors common in Latin cuisine — paving the way for the chicken’s signature flavor.If you stop by the restaurant around noon or after 6 p.m., you’ll likely see a line of people eagerly waiting for their meal. The restaurant, which opened as a burger stand in 1968, continues to be operated as a family-run chain. From the outside, you can tell the restaurant is fast-paced and lively, with customers lining up to order plates of grilled chicken, fries, rice and beans. The smell of the signature marinade fills the space as workers move quickly behind the counter. They’re working on serving up trays of chicken topped with the chain’s well-known sauce. Photos lining the walls show Pantazis over the decades, along with architectural renderings of the restaurant when it first opened and articles from Eater LA and the LA Times. The history on the walls is reinforced by the steady stream of customers, from the neighborhood and abroad. “It’s just generational for us,” Aviles said, who feels like he’s carrying on a family tradition by eating at Dino’s. “No matter how far I go, I’m always going to come down to Dino’s.” The restaurant at Pico Boulevard and Berendo Street is the flagship and the business has since expanded to five locations across Los Angeles. “There was nothing more he loved than to make people happy and to provide his customers with personal service and the best quality food possible,” the family said. Some neighbors in Pico Union say their proximity is part of what makes it special. William Martinez, 26, describes the restaurant as part of the fabric of his community. “This place is more of a childhood restaurant that I used to pass by,” Martinez said. “I always get the chicken and the fries. That’s the main thing here.” That signature chicken dish typically comes in black takeout containers with fries, tortillas, a side of coleslaw and a tangy sauce. The marinade at Dino’s Famous Chicken is tangy, garlicky, and slightly smoky — not too spicy, which makes it easy to keep going back for more. Aside from locals, the Pico Union spot also draws visitors from out of town. Friends Gabriel Mathenge, Kendall Holmes and Jackson Edwards were visiting from North Carolina and stopped by Dino’s after hearing it was a must-try spot in Los Angeles. “I really like the flavoring of the chicken and $16 out here in L.A., it’s pretty good,” Mathenge said, who got a plate of their marinated chicken with rice and beans. “It’s a lot of food, overall a good experience.”Edwards said the Latino workers at Dino’s and the relaxed ambience of the place make it feel like L.A. “It feels historic, like it’s been here for a long time based on the pictures on the walls,” he said. “It feels like a home for a home that I’m not at.” That sense of history is rooted in the part of Pico Union where Dino’s stands — an area long shaped by a Greek enclave centered around St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral and institutions like Papa Cristo’s, which for decades served as a cultural and community hub. “Something real was lost when Papa Cristo’s closed,” Chabrán said. “That was an explicitly Greek institutional presence — a market, a taverna, a community anchor for the nearby Orthodox congregation.” But Dino’s, he explained, reflects a different kind of legacy. “Greek culture in that neighborhood didn’t survive by staying Greek in isolation,” Chabrán said. “It survived by becoming part of the neighborhood. The chicken is the document.”If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.explores the weird and secret bits of SoCal that would excite even the most jaded Angelenos. He also covers mental health.For 12 years, exhibition organizer Adam Santelli has given artists the chance to get their work on billboards, some of the most viewed spaces in L.A. “We’re really trying to lean hard into making sure that there’s a space for everybody not only to put their work up ... but to enjoy that work and reflect on that work,” he told LAist.Every year, Santelli works with outdoor advertising companies to secure the blank slates, which normally go for thousands of dollars a month.This year, the central theme is community, with several dreamlike portraits and a photo of a meetup under an impossibly orange sunset.Teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District will get paid parental leave for the first time ever under a tentative deal their union made this week.: The new contract with United Teachers Los Angeles includes four weeks of district-paid leave for employees to bond with a new child. The union represents 35,0000 teachers, counselors and other educators in the second-largest school district in the country.: Erika Jones, secretary-treasurer with California Teachers Association said it’s precedent-setting, since most teachers don’t have access to paid parental leave in the state. “ It’s huge that the largest school district in the state is making that investment, and I think that really will help us statewide shine a light that it's critical.Los Angeles Unified teachers will get paid parental leave for the first time under a tentative agreement the teachers union reached with the district this week. The new contract with United Teachers Los Angeles includes four weeks of district-paid leave for employees to bond with a new child. The union represents 35,0000 teachers, counselors and other educators in the second-largest school district in the country. “I cried when I found out about it,” said Erika Jones, secretary-treasurer of the California Teachers Association and an elementary school teacher in LAUSD. “It’s precedent-setting.” While a handful of teachers unions have gotten paid leave through bargaining over the last several years, like in San Diego, the majority of teachers in the state don’t have access to paid family leave. Jones said teachers have had to plan their pregnancies for summer break, or use their sick and vacation time to cover their time away. Stephanie Castro, a middle school teacher in Highland Park, said she was still feeling the repercussions of taking unpaid leave when she had her son almost two years ago. “For teachers to have to feel like they're deciding between spending time with their new child and being able to pay their bills just feels like a terrible situation for humans to be in, at such a very critical, important moment in their lives and their child's lives,” Castro said.Unlike most private sector workers in California who are automatically eligible for paid family leave through the state’s disability insurance program,like teachers are not. . As a result, advocates have been pushing for years for legislation that would grant paid family leave for teachers. Gov. Gavin Newsomthat would have given teachers at least six weeks of leave, saying it would be too costly. Bills that would have given teachers up to 14 weeks of pregnancy leave also failed to pass the legislature over the last couple of years.in this year’s legislative session, which would give educators statewide paid leave — so that it doesn’t have to come down to the bargaining table. “We're hoping that the state recognizes that this is something that we need to fix within the public education system,” she said. “Four weeks is something, it's not nothing. Is it where we need to be? No ... but it is a huge first step.”
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